Effects of cytidine diphosphate choline on the nervous system in cats

Abstract

Adult cats were used to study the effect of cytidine diphosphate choline (CDP-choline) on the nervous system. Almost immediately after intraventricular administration of not less than 0.2 mg/kg of CDP-choline, animals exhibited EEG and behavioral arousal; 0.8 mg/kg induced arousal and continuous crying. Administration of 10 mg/kg of CDP-choline resulted in continuous intense crying and pronounced tachypnea; these effects lasted for 1–2 hr. Immediately after lumbar intrathecal administration of not less than 2.0–4.0 mg/kg of CDP-choline EEG and behavioral arousal occurred and lasted over 8 min. Administration of 10–20 mg/kg caused also hyperreflexia, and animals bit the caudal region of the body. Applied superficially on the cerebral somatic sensory area I, CDP-choline (1 × 10 −1 M) potentiated the postsynaptic component of the potential evoked by ventrobasal thalamic stimulation; the presynaptic component remained unchanged. Direct application of CDP-choline (2 × 10 −1 M) to nerve fibers produced spontaneous impulse activity. These results suggest that CDP-choline exhibits marked excitatory effects on the nervous system and that it acts directly upon synapses as well as upon nerve fibers.